System and method to enable payment using mark generation and mobile device

Abstract

A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method involving: receiving, by a point of sale (POS) system, purchase data for a customer; generating bidirectional connection data for the customer, where the bidirectional connection data describes a bidirectional connection; encoding a symbol with the purchase data and the bidirectional connection data; presenting the symbol to the customer; enabling the bidirectional connection in response to a connection request from the customer; receiving payment data from the customer over the bidirectional connection; comparing the payment data to the purchase data; and sending a payment confirmation to the customer over the bidirectional connection in response to a determination that the payment data satisfies the purchase data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a point of sale (POS) system, purchase data for a customer; 
 generating bidirectional connection data for the customer, wherein the bidirectional connection data comprises a connection type identifying a network used to establish a bidirectional connection, a connection credential for authenticating access to the network, and a connection target for locating the POS system on the network; 
 prompting the POS system to choose the bidirectional connection data supported by a mobile device of the customer; 
 encoding, by the POS system, a combination of the purchase data and the bidirectional connection data into a symbol; 
 presenting, on the POS system, the symbol to the customer for scanning by the mobile device; 
 enabling the bidirectional connection in response to a connection request from the customer, wherein enabling the bidirectional connection comprises enabling the mobile device of the customer to:
 access, based on the connection type, the network using the connection credential; 
 locate, subsequent to accessing the network and based on the connection target, the POS system on the network; and 
 establish, in response to locating the POS system on the network, the bidirectional connection with the POS system over the network; 
 
 receiving payment data from the customer over the bidirectional connection; and 
 sending a payment confirmation to the customer over the bidirectional connection in response to a determination that the payment data satisfies the purchase data. 
 
     
     
       2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein enabling the bidirectional connection comprises determining that the connection request is based on the connection credential encoded in the symbol. 
     
     
       3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the bidirectional connection connects the POS system to the mobile device of the customer via a connection point device of the network, wherein the connection point device is separate from the mobile device and the POS system. 
     
     
       4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein connection target comprises a network location of the POS system. 
     
     
       5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase data comprises instructions for transferring funds from a customer account to a merchant account. 
     
     
       6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the payment data comprises a proof of payment indicating a transfer of funds from a customer account to a merchant account. 
     
     
       7. A method comprising:
 prompting a point of sale (POS) system to choose bidirectional connection data supported by a mobile device; 
 encoding, by the POS system, a combination of purchase data and the bidirectional connection data into a symbol, wherein the symbol is presented on the POS system; 
 scanning, by the mobile device, the symbol presented on the POS system comprising a POS processor; 
 decoding, by the mobile device, the symbol to obtain the purchase data and the bidirectional connection data, wherein the bidirectional connection data comprises a connection type identifying a network used to establish a bidirectional connection, a connection credential for authenticating access to the network, and a connection target for locating the POS system on the network; 
 generating payment data using the purchase data; 
 accessing, by the mobile device and based on the connection type, the network using the connection credential; 
 locating, subsequent to accessing the network and based on the connection target, the POS system on the network; 
 establishing, by the mobile device and in response to locating the POS system on the network, the bidirectional connection with the POS system over the network; 
 sending the payment data to the POS system over the bidirectional connection; and 
 receiving payment confirmation from the POS system over the bidirectional connection in response to sending the payment data. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the bidirectional connection connects the POS system to the mobile device of a customer via a connection point device of the network, wherein the connection point device is separate from the mobile device and the POS system. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein scanning the symbol comprises using a camera attached to the mobile device to generate an image of the symbol. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein generating the payment data comprises receiving authorization from a customer to transfer funds from a customer account to a merchant account. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the connection target comprises a network location of the POS system. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , wherein establishing the bidirectional connection comprises submitting the connection credential to the POS system. 
     
     
       13. A system comprising:
 a point of sale (POS) system comprising:
 a POS processor; 
 a display; and 
 a POS application, executing on the POS processor, configured to receive purchase data for a customer;
 generate bidirectional connection data for the customer, wherein the bidirectional connection data comprises a connection type identifying a network used to establish a bidirectional connection, a connection credential for authenticating access to the network, and a connection target for locating the POS system on the network; 
 prompt the POS system to choose the bidirectional connection data supported by a mobile device of the customer; 
 encode a combination of the purchase data and the bidirectional connection data into a symbol; 
 present, on the display, the symbol to the customer for scanning by the mobile device; 
 
 enable the bidirectional connection in response to a connection request from the customer, wherein enabling the bidirectional connection comprises enabling the mobile device of the customer to:
 access, based on the connection type, the network using the connection credential; 
 locate, subsequent to accessing the network and based on the connection target, the POS system on the network; and 
 establish, in response to locating the POS system on the network, the bidirectional connection with the POS system over the network; 
 
 receive payment data from the customer over the bidirectional connection; and 
 send a payment confirmation to the customer over the bidirectional connection in response to a determination that the payment data satisfies the purchase data. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mobile device comprises:
 a mobile device processor; 
 a symbol reader configured to read the symbol; and 
 a payment application, executing on the mobile device processor, configured to:
 receive the symbol from the symbol reader; 
 decode the symbol to obtain the purchase data and the bidirectional connection data; 
 generate the payment data using the purchase data; 
 establish the bidirectional connection with the POS system; 
 send the payment data to the POS system over the bidirectional connection; and 
 receive the payment confirmation from the POS system over the bidirectional connection in response to sending the payment data. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a connection point device configured to:
 receive, from the mobile device, a request to establish the bidirectional connection with the POS system; and 
 send the request to the POS system. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein establishing the bidirectional connection comprises submitting the connection credential to the connection point device. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the bidirectional connection connects the POS system to the mobile device via the connection point device. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the connection target comprises a network location of the POS system. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the symbol reader is a camera, and wherein receiving the symbol from the symbol reader comprises generating, by the camera, an image of the symbol. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the purchase data comprises instructions for transferring funds from a customer account to a merchant account.